Paul was born in the French community of St-Pierre-Jolys in southern Manitoba. He embarked on his creative journey by pursuing graphic design at Red River College Polytechnic. It was during his time there that he crossed paths with his future wife and lifelong collaborator, Andrea. After completing his studies, Paul embarked on his career as a designer, dedicating eight fruitful years to Deschenes Regnier.
In 1995 Paul and Andrea reconnected at an industry luncheon. Recognizing the potential of their shared ambitions, it didn’t take long for them to decide to embark on an adventure together. Three years later they purchased a house, married and started their design practice, aptly named Tétro (a phonetic representation of their last name). In spite of all warnings to the contrary, both the marriage and the business have withstood the test of time and are flourishing after twenty-five years.
A designer, through and through Paul has developed identity and branding systems, promotional materials, packaging, environmental graphics, website designs and publication designs for a broad range of clients such as Sunlce, Shimano, Canada Post, Canada’s National Arts Centre, Canada Energy Regulator, CP Rail, Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, and the African Development Bank. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of contributing to the promotion and portrayal of numerous artists in music, theatre, and writing; striving to offer thoughtful and impactful design.
In addition to appearing in publications and receiving accolades, Paul’s poster work has been represented in exhibits including Mother Tongue by INDIGO, the International Indigenous Design Network at the National Taiwan University of Arts in Taipei, Taiwan and L’innovazione Responsible in Forli, Italy. Paul and Andrea were invited to participate in the 2021 ARTCRANK poster exhibition in Minneapolis, MN. Tétro’s vast collection of theatre posters were featured in the Theatre Posters from Canada exhibit at the 43rd International Festival monodrame i pantomime in Belgrade, Serbia. Closer to home, Paul was commissioned by Canadian Pacific Railway to design a poster for Connecting Canada, a commemorative poster collection celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday.
Paul is a longstanding member, volunteer, and contributor to Design Professionals of Canada, involved at both the national and local chapter levels. He readily shares his expertise by serving as a mentor to aspiring students and as a design juror.
“DesCan excels at forging connections among individuals driven by their passion for graphic design. It’s woven in the fabric of our careers and who we are at our core. I love how this diverse group of dedicated people have come together to create meaningful, long lasting friendships offering an exchange and support; both locally and from coast-to-coast-to-coast.”
Paul is a dedicated and accomplished professional who takes great pride in his heritage as a Red River Métis. With a strong sense of cultural connection, Paul is committed to honouring his roots.